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So it’s that time of year again, the summer holidays. The time of year that strikes fear into Mums in Business, as you suddenly have to juggle a business and childcare. When you start working reduced hours you ultimately find your income lower. You don’t want the children to be sat around the house all day, but you don’t want to spend a fortune, either. Whether you’re saving for something special, or simply don’t want to break the bank; making the most of the summer holidays doesn’t have to involve splashing the cash.

These days there are plenty of cost-effective activities to enjoy with family and friends, meaning you can do more, for less.

To help out, prepaid MasterCard providers, icount, have generously suggested some ways you can have fun in summer, without blowing your budget.

Free Museums :

Whether you’re into science, sport, cars or planes, there’s a museum for it all. For many of these museums, entry is free for both adults and children. Some museums also have regular demonstrations and workshops that will keep the whole family entertained.

Taking a trip to a museum is a great treat for the family and is easy on the wallet, so it’s worth doing some research and seeing if there are any free museums near you. Check out your local councils website all the museum details will be there.

Here are some of the UK’s family-friendly museums with free admission, to get you started:

Red House Museum, Christchurch

Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester
Museum of London, London Wall
Iron Age Museum, Andover
National Media Museum, Bradford
House of Marbles, Devon

Parks :

In the UK we’re incredibly fortunate to have access to a wide range of parks and open spaces that are free to visit with family and friends.

Summer is the ideal time of year to take a trip to the park. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and the flowers are blooming, making it the perfect place for a relaxing day out.

You can also take advantage of the good weather by having an outdoor picnic, or taking a ball and having a fun game of football or volleyball. The opportunities are endless!

Indoor Activities :

If want take a break from the outdoor activities, there are plenty of fun things you can do indoors that will keep the family entertained for hours.

If your family are a creative bunch, why not try out some paper crafting or painting to keep everyone busy. Alternatively, baking and decorating cakes and desserts is another fun way of keeping the whole family occupied. Not only that, but you can reward your hard work with the food you made afterwards!

Visit The Cinema :

Gone are the days of cinema trips being over-priced and expensive. These days, cinema chains such as Vue screen films for as little as £2.49 per ticket on Saturday and Sunday mornings, as well as in the summer holidays.

There are always plenty of films showing that are suitable for all ages and you’ll beat the midday and evening rush of cinema customers, so it’s well worth taking advantage of these great offers and treating yourself to a film this summer.

Free Festivals :

If music’s your thing, there are a number of free festivals up and down the country to suit all music tastes. Despite being free, these festivals don’t sacrifice on the talent as plenty of well-known bands and solo artists perform at these events every year.

Coventry’s Godiva Festival is sporting big names like Example and Kate Nash for this year’s line-up, and also has a ‘Family Field’ with fairground rides, craft workshops and food stalls, that will keep the kids satisfied all day. Bournemouth holds an annual Air Festival with displays including the Red Arrows. Or The Robin Hood Festival in Sherwood Forest, parking is £5 for the day but otherwise events and shows are free.

These festivals are a great way to save money this summer and do something different to the norm!

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Welcome

Joanne is a 30 something coffee lover living in rural Dorset with her long suffering partner and three children. Alongside this blog Joanne is owner, designer and creator at Charlie Moo's specialising in handmade fabric party bags.
Sage Business Expert and author of Crafting a Successful Small Business.
In 2010 Joanne was named Dorset Business Mother of the Year and has numerous accolades and awards to her name.
In her spare time she likes to eat and watch crime dramas sometimes at the same time!